Scared of the Risks!

[HeatherMacKenzie]

Hi everyone.
This may seem a little odd because I’m not planning on getting pregnant right now, however it is something I desperately want in the future! My partner and I have discussed having children in the next few years but after reading up on all the possible risks I am terrified to the point where I’m not sure if I want to carry our children myself. I know that many diabetic women go on to have healthy children but I am terrible at controlling my glucose levels and I can’t help but worry about it. Please tell me that some of you feel the same way because I cannot stop thinking about it.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @HeatherMacKenzie unfortunately if you read any article associated with type 1 and pregnancy then you only hear the risks, you won't hear success stories so please take this with the big pinch of salt it deserves.

It's perfectly feasible to have a healthy pregnancy and baby with type 1, when you do decide to go ahead have a chat with your DSN first about your plans and you will be given guidance and support in this. I was gestational with my child and I won't lie it wasn't an easy ride, but then pregnancy itself for most women without insulin isn't a walk in the park either, but it is possible so please don't be afraid, you will have good support throughout your pregnancy

 

[Muneeb]

As above, you usually only see reports when things go bad, so its very skewed.
But either way, as you said you are not looking to have children in the immediate future, why not spend this time learning more about diabetes and getting it under better control? You don't have to do this for others, do it for yourself. Its a chronic condition but it shouldn't have to hold you back in life WITH the right management.

 

[FingersCrossed]

Hi there.

Yes, I totally felt the same as you, so you're not alone. I was diagnosed at 17 with type 1 diabetes (22 years ago). I bumbled through the first few years with not a lot of knowledge about carb to insulin ratios and had a terrible hba1c, of 8.5 to 10 percent.

When I was 23, I went on the DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating) week-long course at my local hospital and it was a game changer for me as it was the first time I truly understood how to manage my condition. I think education is a bit better now, but back in 1996, where I lived, it wasn't that great.

Anyway, I worried about kids in the future too, because of my control. When I was 29, me and my then-boyfriend (now husband) started talking about children and I worked hard for a couple of years to get my levels down to 7 percent ish. I was put on an insulin pump to help, then in 2013, I had a lovely, healthy baby boy, weighing a lushious 9lbs. Last week, I had a healthy baby girl, 8.7lbs.

So, please don't be put off. Sure, it's hard. And yes, there are complications associated to badly controlled diabetes, but you'll be amazed at how focused you can be when you want something badly enough. The care you get and monitoring throughout, in my experience, is great too. I also know two other type 1s with healthy babies, plus a few friends who had gestational diabetes and their children are all fit and well.

I mentioned I was looking to start getting my levels better and potentially start trying when I was at clinic ten years ago, and I they arranged for me to have a chat with a consultant at the antenatal diabetes clinic which helped lots too, so maybe that's an option?

Thanks.

 

[HeatherMacKenzie]

Hi there.

Yes, I totally felt the same as you, so you're not alone. I was diagnosed at 17 with type 1 diabetes (22 years ago). I bumbled through the first few years with not a lot of knowledge about carb to insulin ratios and had a terrible hba1c, of 8.5 to 10 percent.

When I was 23, I went on the DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating) week-long course at my local hospital and it was a game changer for me as it was the first time I truly understood how to manage my condition. I think education is a bit better now, but back in 1996, where I lived, it wasn't that great.

Anyway, I worried about kids in the future too, because of my control. When I was 29, me and my then-boyfriend (now husband) started talking about children and I worked hard for a couple of years to get my levels down to 7 percent ish. I was put on an insulin pump to help, then in 2013, I had a lovely, healthy baby boy, weighing a lushious 9lbs. Last week, I had a healthy baby girl, 8.7lbs.

So, please don't be put off. Sure, it's hard. And yes, there are complications associated to badly controlled diabetes, but you'll be amazed at how focused you can be when you want something badly enough. The care you get and monitoring throughout, in my experience, is great too. I also know two other type 1s with healthy babies, plus a few friends who had gestational diabetes and their children are all fit and well.

I mentioned I was looking to start getting my levels better and potentially start trying when I was at clinic ten years ago, and I they arranged for me to have a chat with a consultant at the antenatal diabetes clinic which helped lots too, so maybe that's an option?

Thanks.

Thank you for this and congratulations on your new baby girl!!

 

[Ebs]

Hi I am new to this forum but I saw your post and had to respond.
Nearly 11 years ago I had my beautiful daughter. At the time of conception and for the first 3 months of my pregnancy I did not know I was type 1, so as you can imagine it was devastating to find out. Controling my blood sugar was so hard, it was all new to me. I ended up with kidney stones at 29 weeks, was induced at 37 weeks but ended up with a natural delivery and a healthy baby. Many times throughout my pregnancy I had high blood sugar but as I checked about 15 times a day it was never high for very long.
There is so much more support out there now. The option of having a pump, even just for pregnancy can help immensely.
See a obstetric diabetes team before you get pregnant and they can talk you through what you should do first.
Please don't think you can't do it, remember once upon a time you would have thought you could never have put a needle in your body, and yet now you do it all the time...
Good luck.

 

[tigger]

Just to let you know, I have been blessed with 4 children (youngest is 3) and have now had type 1 for nearly 36 years. No it isn't easy and having good control is a prerequisite to start. Saying which the motivator to have good control massively increases when you have a living thing inside you dependent on this. Talk with your hospital about help with getting the basics right. Do you and can you carb count? If not get them to teach you/put you on DAFNE? Are you on a regime that works for you? Or a device that works with how you live? Have you considered using a libre? The more information you have the better your control can be, providing you use it well. There's loads of advice on these boards on all these matters.